The hard life is harder than easy
by AwesomeAssassin
Summary: Love was not on their list of tour experiences...When the cullen family is on a holiday, they go to Australia to stay with Esme's friend Renee and her family. Both Bella and Edward don't want to be there. When Edward learns, will they fall in luv? OOC EXB
1. Chapter 1

**Love was not on the list of tourist experiences…**

**Edward and his family ship off from Britain to Australia for their family holiday. Esme's friend has offered her house to their family. With a mythical obsessed, five year old brother, will Bella have any time to fall for Esme's hot, funny son?**

_**Chapter 1 – Yes, because I am from Australia, obviously, my best friend is a Koala and I ride a Kangaroo to work.**_

"Mum, seriously, why can't I just go somewhere else?" I whined as she unpacked my underwear in my suitcase. I had been planning on staying with a friend, since I was against this whole thing, so she was forced to unpack it herself. "Jessica said I can stay at her house! And it's only for a month…"

She turned on me with a big frown. "Bella," she pleaded motherly. "All I want is Esme's family holiday to be a special one that doesn't include having to stay at a hotel. We've been friends, forever. This is the least I could do for her. So _please_ Bella, _please_, just this once. For them? For me? Please?"

I groaned and flopped down on the bed. I was not giving up this argument, I mean, Esme could have a family vacation if she really wanted it, but it didn't really have to include me, did it?

"But you know Jackson!" I continued whining. "He will just call everyone blood-sucking leeches, and they'll want to leave before I week is up. Why bother with the humiliation?" I shrugged, picking up my stuffed dog, Poodie-two-shoes, and stroked his back. I know he isn't real, but he's really special to me, and he deserves every bit of respect I could give him.

Mum looked at me, a sad look on her face that made me want to give her everything she wanted, and sat next to me.

She nothing, but she was pleading me with puppy dog eyes. I looked away immediately, bouncing off the bed.

"Oh, no." I told her. "You will not get me with puppy dog eyes. I know that trick."

She was whining and pleading at the same time now. She was so motherly, yet she acted like a teenager. It was weird, but she was the only other woman in my close family, so we were close. But we weren't close enough that I would just give into all of her demands.

She hopped up off the bed and looked at me. "Bella, they're coming whether you like it or not. That's a solid 'end of story'. Please, I'm just asking, _please_, just don't bring everyone else down. Esme has been invited to stay with us, and she is so looking forward to meeting you! So if you must suffer, suffer in silence. _Please._" She pleaded.

As much as I wanted to argue, I knew when I was beaten. Yes, she was right, there was no way out of it, and yes, We had sent the invitation to welcome them into our home.

I groaned in defeat and she brightened instantly. "Fine." I told her, very grumpy now. "But I get to keep my room."

She smiled widely. "That's my girl." She beamed; throwing a pair of my jeans at me, then looking back over the clothing covered bed and chucked me my favourite green t-shirt. I growled to myself as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

She opened it quickly and ducked her head through the door so I could hear her without having a target to throw something at. "And I want you to look after Jackson." She said before quickly closing the door. My mouth was hanging open at this point. When I finally regained myself, I groaned and pulled my shirt over my head.

This was going to be a long month.

_**Meanwhile in Britain, things aren't so good on that side of the family either…**_

"Great, so we have to stay with some didgeridoo family?? Perfect. I mean, I didn't have any plans other than _my life_!" I argued to my mother. I mean, come on. Was it not only last month when some Japanese family came over to stay? Now we would have to moved to some Didgeridork family? Why was Mum doing this to me!?

"Now Edward," she said kindly but with authority. "This is my very close friend from back in high school. Please be nice." She pleaded, although both of us knew that I didn't have a choice. I mean, yeah I could be a total jerk to them, and I would, but they _were_ welcoming us into their family…

"God, please Mum!" I begged. "I can stay here! Look after the house…" I was cut off when she looked at me funny. There was no fight in this.

I rolled my eyes into the back of my head and groaned. "Fine! But I get to bring my guitar."

She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Edward. But maybe you could buy one over there. A little momentum."

I sighed. "Please?" I tried at one more pointless attempt.

She shook her head and I groaned again, throwing a shirt into the suitcase that sat on my bed. She smiled warmly then, then left the room.

This was going to be a long month.

BELLA POV

I was awoken the next morning with Jackson jumping on my bed. For a five year old, he could be very annoying, but then again, most five year olds were in my opinion.

"They're here!" he screamed, jumping on my stomach and earning a grunt every time he landed on me. "They're here!"

"Go away." I groaned, rolling him off me and burying my face in my pillow.

He pulled the pillow from underneath my head, surprising for someone that young, and decided to bounce on my head. I pushed him off, then burying myself under the covers.

He sighed in a little kiddy way, then tickled me under the blanket. I couldn't help but laugh a little bit, then gave up after I rolled onto the floor, earning me a laugh from Jackson.

"The vampires are here." He screamed. "You have to get out of here!"

I groaned. My brother had this crazy idea that he knew only good people, that anyone he didn't know must be evil, and therefore, not part of the human race. It was funny at first, but after the first time he went around telling everyone which species they were, it grew to be quite annoying, and embarrassing. But yet, he was still five, so we played along, for his sake, keeping him out of trouble.

"Then you should go hide in your room." I suggested, my throat dry from not swallowing all night. God, it felt like I had swallowed a cheese grater... "I'll make sure they don't come and get you."

He nodded seriously and ran, I assumed, into his room. Well, I was already on the floor…

I sat up, groaning, and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I looked at my clock wall which read it was already six at night. Man, I got no sleep last night.

I heard voices from downstairs, some that I hadn't heard of before, and decided it would be best to take a shower and get ready before Mum shows a tour of the house, including me sitting on the floor.

I took a nice, long shower and put on the clothes that Mum had chucked at me yesterday. I had never had make up before, so I just pulled a hairbrush through my hair a couple of times then pulled it into a messy ponytail. I took a deep breath, then made my way down the stairs. This was going to be a long four weeks. I have said that many times before, but it was just so true…

"Bella!" my mother said in delight as I made my way down the staircase to meet a nice looking lady. I had to assume that was Esme, the mother of the family.

"Bella this is Esme." She greeted me to the lady, and this confirmed it. She placed a hand out to greet me, and I looked at Mum shortly, receiving a death stare, before taking the hand and shaking it.

"Nice to meet you." I mumbled unenthusiastically.

"Oh, such a firm grip." Esme said in approval. "Most lady's have noodle arms. I like you."

I rolled my eyes internally. So she could tell she was going to like me because of my grip? I only have that from working around the farm. It wasn't a big part of me. I would show her…

She called out some names that I was too tired, and honestly didn't care enough about, to hear. Then, three people walked in. A man the age of Esme, which once again I assumed was Carlisle. A girl my age, who was Alice, I suppose. I that left Edward to stand next to her.

"Carlisle, Alice, Edward, this is Bella. Bella, this is Carlisle, Edward and Alice." Esme introduced us, and I grinned a fake smile. "I can tell we are all going to get along."

"Oh really?" Edward spoke up. "I don't think so. Don't you think they'll be too countrified to give a crap about us?"

_Jerk! Jerk! JERK!_

"Edward." Esme snapped.

"Oh yeah," I shot back at him with sarcasm. "Because I live in Australia, so obviously my best friend is a Koala and I ride a Kangaroo to work."

"Bella." Mum snapped at me like Esme had to him.

He smirked at me in amusement. "Admitting it is the first step to recovering." He mocked.

I smiled at him. "Well maybe it's time for you too finally admit that something died on top of your head five years ago. I think its time for the possum to be buried." I smirked at him.

Our parents were wide eyed at how rude I was being, but I couldn't care less. I wanted Mum to realize it was a smarter choice to let me stay with Jessica. Esme would just go again anyway. I didn't have to worry about her.

"Speaking of which," Edward continued. "I thought Halloween was in October." He gestured towards my outfit.

"Then why are you dressed like a tool?"

His eyebrows were raised at this point, and I grinned in self satisfaction. He was thinking just because I come from the country, I wouldn't be able to defend myself like any other girl. So wrong, jerk.

"Because your mother kindly sent some of your chest hair over for Halloween."

I gasped and opened my mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry," I mocked. "I thought you actually shaved your back."

"BELLA!" my mother screamed, but I ignored her. I was set on focus, thinking about what Edward would reply to that. I was hoping he would at least stumble, but he didn't, and that was fine. I had much more.

"I shave mine when you shave yours." He mocked in a bad Australian accent. "Why did I even think that this house wasn't filled with Banjo strumming hillbillies." He mumbled

"That's enough Edward." Esme tried again.

We both ignored her.

"We are not banjo strumming hillbillies!" I defended, then hesitated. "My family doesn't know how to play the banjo! They don't know how to play any instrument!"

He raised his eyebrows. "And what do you play?"

Was it really that obvious that I had made sure I said 'them' not 'we'?

"I'm a guitar strumming hillbilly." I correct for him.

He laughed darkly.

I rolled my eyes at him. "At least I'm not a too good, spoilt, old, bratty, immature, little-"

"BELLA!" my mother cut me off. I looked at her finally, and she was enraged. "Say sorry to our guest. You are being _extremely_ rude."

I laughed, and then looked back at Edward. "I would never say sorry to such a person. Jerk's are worse than what I am; I can assure you of that."

He smirked. "That goes for you too, Edward." Esme told him before he could think I was the only one who got told off, and I smiled at him. She sighed then looked back at Mum. "I'm sorry. I thought he would be good…"

Mum sighed. "So did I." she looked at us, then brightened a little bit, looking back at Esme. Esme was smiling too.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Esme asked, smiling broadly. I swear I could imagine then as big bananas right then. I smiled at my Banana's in Pajamas joke.

Mum nodded eagerly, straightened her face out, then looked at us.

"Bella, meet your new roomy." She grinned, and my smiled dropped instantly.

"I'm am not-!" I started, but she cut me off.

"Yes you are!" Mum mimicked me.

I thought about for a half a second. "Oh! Idea! Let's get him a cat box! Put it out on the deck! Everybody wins." I smiled.

My mother smirked. "I don't think so, Bella. If anybody's getting a cat box, it would be you by the way you're acting."

I groaned and flopped down on the couch, not paying attention to my mother talking to Esme about how such a good plan this was. It didn't matter. There was no way in hell was this British loser sleeping in my room.

"Bella, go show Edward where he can dump his stuff." My mum told me.

I looked over and Edward, flipping my head over the back of the couch so he was upside down. "Take the first plane back to Britain. Wherever the hell you live I don't give a crap, but that's where you go." I told him in a bored voice.

"BELLA!" my mother shouted at me. "Show some respect or I will bury you so deep that your ass will be disintegrated!" then she watched her mouth and looked at Esme and Carlisle. "Sorry."

Carlisle laughed. "That's okay. We don't want to be a hassle…"

_Then leave!_ My mind was shouting.

"Bella…" my mother warned and I sighed, looking back over the couch.

"Upstairs. Second door to your right."

"Bella." Mum said more sternly. I had given him directions to Jackson's room. I smiled.

I sighed. "Fourth door to your left." I mumbled to him, not looking at him.

Mum sighed in relief. "Now go show him your room."

I jumped off the couch. "Oh, nuh-uh. This isn't happening. He is _not_ taking my room!"

Edward grinned evilly. "Watch me."

Then we were racing each other upstairs. I beat him, of course, because I didn't have to count doors. I slammed my door in his face and he was pushing on my door. I pushed back so it wouldn't open. Man he was strong.

"My, my. Someone _has_ been working out." He said sarcastically from outside the door, still pushing.

My feet were against the wall now, pushing. But he'd never know that. "You get that when your father chases you around the house trying to tickle you." I breathed out, trying to make it even as I strained. "You're nothing against him."

The door was starting to inch open until you could fit your head in there, of course, he wasn't stupid enough to do that. Actually, he was smarter than I thought. He stopped pushing for a moment, making me slam into the door and fall to the ground. He opened the door against my back and easily slid in. I breathed heavily as I stood up, squeezing in front of him and pushed him out of the room.

"Get out of my room!" I yelled at him, and he laughed in amusement.

"Actually, it's our room now."

I growled at him and he laughed again, but then spotted something that made him stop. He now looked amazed.

"Is that a guitar?" he asked, stepping past me easily and picking it up from the corner of the room it sat and placed it on my bed.

I smacked his hands away from it. "Nope, its an oven. Of course it's a guitar! I told you that."

He looked at me and smiled, but not in a mean way. "I thought you were just humoring me." He told me.

I shook my head and snatched my guitar away from him, jumping over the bed and placing it in it's corner again. I looked at him with warning in my eyes. If he ever touched that again, he would be sleeping out in the sheep shed.

Mum came into the room then, smiled at us as if she didn't know we were still fighting, which I knew she knew we were, and pulled the mattress from under my bed.

"You must be almost passing out from jetlag." She said kindly. "I want you both to get a good rest tonight."

I rolled my eyes and took my stuff to the bathroom where I had a shower. Long month. Definitely a long month.

I sighed under the heat of the water massaging my muscles. At least I didn't have to see his face for a solid nine hours. That would be good.

I got out and instructed Edward on where the bathroom was and how too use the shower. He thanked me and I left him alone. I went back to my room, flopped down on my bed. Man, I had only just gotten up about half an hour ago, how could I be so tired? Then again, I had been reading all night until lunch time today before I actually went to sleep…

"Bella?" Jackson walked into the room, a single tear running down his cheek. I immediately jumped out of bed and crouched down to him.

"Hey, man, what's up?"

"I don't want to share my room! I don't trust that vampire." He said.

I laughed, but his serious expression told me he wasn't kidding. I hugged him and led him back to his bedroom, but he wouldn't budge from where he was.

"Can I sleep with you?" he asked.

I sighed. "You know Mummy likes you sleeping in your own bed." I told him.

"It's only for tonight!" he begged.

I sighed. "Fine." I gave in. "But only for tonight. Mum can just deal. She's owes me big time." Mum had come in and pulled my blanket back on the bed.

He slid into my bed and stared at me while I put moisturizer on my face. He wanted some too, so I smiled, laughing silently, and placed it all over his face. He laughed and rubbed it in enthusiastically like I told him too. I laughed with him.

My brother was the cutest thing in the world, although he annoys the hell out of my parents. He was just so awesome, it made me want to do everything for him. He always tells me he wants to be exactly like sis, I quote. I guess that just makes me want to give him what I can.

"Will you sing me a bedtime song?" he asked. He's not fully there with his vocabulary. He still can't say lullaby properly. He doesn't like the sound of it anyway. It makes him feel like a baby, apparently.

My thoughts suddenly went to Edward who was still taking a shower, hopefully. He would give me hell if he heard me sing. But Jackson was looking at me with such pleading eyes, I couldn't resist.

"Fine, but you have to bring over the guitar." I told him.

He grinned and he hopped off the bed as I hopped on it, grabbing the case which was bigger than him and bringing it too me.

I twisted around and opened the suitcase, pulling out my acoustic guitar.

He laid in my bed again, and I plucked each string to make sure it was in tune, then began to play his favourite song. I think he just liked the tune, since the lyrics were about something he couldn't comprehend yet.

Picture to burn.

_State the obvious,_

_I didn't get my birthday fantasy,_

_I realized you loved yourself more than you could ever love me,_

_So go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy,_

_That's fine I'll mine that your gay,_

_By the way,_

_I hate that stupid old pick up truck,_

_You never let me drive,_

_A big red neck, _

_heart break,_

_whose really bad at lying,_

_so watch me strike a match on all my wasted time,_

_as far as I'm concerned,_

_you're just another picture to burn_

_There's no time for years,_

_I'm just sitting here,_

_Planning my revenge,_

_There's nothing stopping me from going out with all of your best friends,_

_And if you come around saying sorry to me,_

_My Daddy's gonna show you how sorry you'll be,_

_Cause I hate that stupid old pick up truck,_

_You never let me drive,_

_A big red neck, _

_heart break,_

_whose really bad at lying,_

_so watch me strike a match on all my wasted time,_

_as far as I'm concerned,_

_you're just another picture to burn_

_And if you're missing me,_

_You better keep it to yourself,_

_Cause coming back around here,_

_Would be bad for your health_

_Cause I hate that stupid old pick up truck,_

_You never let me drive,_

_A big red neck, _

_heart break,_

_whose really bad at lying,_

_so watch me strike a match on all my wasted time,_

_In case you haven't heard,_

_I really, really hate that,_

_Stupid old pick up truck,_

_You never let me drive,_

_A big red neck, _

_heart break,_

_whose really bad at lying,_

_so watch me strike a match on all my wasted time,_

_as far as I'm concerned,_

_you're just another picture to burn_

There was no need to add the rest of it. He was fast asleep, and I really didn't want to get caught by Edward.

I stuck my guitar back in its case before lifting Jackson off the bed and cradling him in my arms as I have had to do so many times before. I walked down the short hallway and into his room where Alice was brushing her hair quietly in front of the mirror. She smiled when she saw me carrying Jackson to his bed.

"Cute kid." She whispered, then stuck out her hand. "Sorry, I don't think we were properly introduced. I'm Alice. I'm sorry about my brother…" she whispered.

I laughed quietly. "Oh, don't worry. I have nothing against the rest of your family. He's just a jerk." I told her, taking her hand.

She shook her head, surprisingly. "No, he's really not. Believe me, after he gets over his jetlag and you get to know him, he'll calm down." She whispered. "He might even apologize."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, we'll see. Have a good night sleep."

She smiled and nodded. "You too."

I walked out of the room, shutting the door very quietly behind me and walked into my room, gasping as I walked in on Edward looking at my photos that I had framed and were sitting on my dresser.

"Snooping?" I asked lightly.

He shrugged. "These are very interesting."

I rolled my eyes and plunked back on my bed.

Edward went into his own bed and turned off the light. I closed my eyes and snuggled under the covers.

Edward sighed. "Okay, look. I don't want to be here as much as you don't want me here." He started. "So lets make a deal. We make our parents believe we are getting along, and you can still hate me if you want, and then in a month, we never have to see each other again."

I laughed tiredly. "Deal."

We were in silence for a moment, and I was about to fall into unconscious when he muttered "And I'm sorry. I don't hate you, personally. I just don't like the idea of moving across the country, even if it is only for a month."

I sighed. "Whatever. Now pass out already, you're beginning to annoy me."

That was actually a lie. I wouldn't mind talking to him tonight, since he wasn't insulting me and my family now, but he was going to pass out anyway.

If Edward and I could just get along. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is a look into my life, just so you guys know. This unforturnate thing happened to us yesterday with our cow. We have the goats, and yes my chickens do jump on my shoulder. I live in the huon valley in Tasmania, Australia, where she lives.**

**So sorry if these first chapters are a little slow. I just need to get the story started before i can go into it. It shows her life, and how Edward thinks it weird. the next ones will stop getting so formal and will focus on Edward and Bella, i promise! Just stick with it!**

EDWARD POV

I woke up the next morning very disoriented. I had rolled from a mattress to the floor, and was currently trying to snuggle up on the hard, over used, carpet floor. I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room, first staring at the ceiling with peeling paint.

Then i realised that i wasn't home. Australia.

I groaned, rolled my eyes and sat up, looking for that girl. Uh, what was her name? Stella? Kelly?

"Oh looky. Someone's finally awake to help."

I instantly remembered that voice, and her name. Bella. I looked up at her smirking in the doorway.

"My Mum sent me to see if you were awake yet." she explained, throwing random clothes at me. "These were my dad's. You might need them."

She left and closed the door, and i squinted a couple of times. Please disppear. Please, just dump me back in my room back in Britain. Please, please!

The door opened again and she slid her head in to make sure i wasn't getting changed. "And i'd hurry. The digger is going to be here soon, and you still need to help me take down the fence before they get here." she said then closed the door.

I had no idea what she was talking about. Taking down a fence? Digger? What the-

I decided to listen to her, even though she was being cruel about it, and got dressed into the clothes she gave me. They fit me perfectly, but when i looked in the mirror, i was starting to get scared about what type of work she was giving me. Old, torn jean that smelt of animals were placed on my hips, and a striped flannelet, red jumper was on my torso. I would fit in with the dress code, i guessed.

I was really hoping this look was nothing new.

I walked hesitantly down the stairs and found Renee working in the kitchen, which i saw, she was making some sort of soup.

She spotted me and smiled. "Well good afternoon, Edward, how was your sleep? I hope you didn't take Bella's words personally last night..." she trailed off.

I shook my head and smiled. "Of course not. Maybe i do need to touch up on my country life." i told her, mostly lying. My coutry life was perfectly in balance.

I walked over to her, not sure on where i was meant to be, and looked into the pot.

"Chicken soup?" i asked. There was no chicken in there yet, but the potato and other various ingredients were.

She grinned, confirming.

"So where's the chicken?"

She walked outside on the porch, err, deck, without a word, then came back in only fifteen seconds later, holding a chicken by the head, some feathers still attached to it, its head gone.

I thought i was going to throw up.

She laughed. "It's gotta come from somewhere, Edward. The store's chickens always have introduced hormones and other stuff like that in it. They are treated so cruelly. My family is against that, so we have our own chickens, free range."

The smell of the chicken was getting to me, so i put on a weak smile. She laughed again.

"I believe Bella is waiting-"

"God, it takes you long to get dressed." Bella said from the doorway leading outside. She looked at my face and laughed in amusement. She looked over to Renee. "Chicken?"

Renee laughed and nodded her head. Well, i was glad they were finding this funny....

Bella walked over to me and took my hand, not in a romantic way at all, but my heart still jumped. Or was that out of shock? Anyway, she led me outside and down into a paddock.

Chickens flocked around her immediately, avoiding me. She laughed, not flinched, when one jumped onto her shoulder from the ground. Man, those things can jump! It sat on her shoulder, squatting down as she walked, not moving.

We walked in old boots to the furthest paddock, right down the back. I saw a black thing lying on the ground as we past a baby cow, two goats, and a sheep. Well, i thought that was a sheep.

We walked down and she instructed me.

"The electric fence has been turned off, so these fences shouldn't zap you." she told me, smiling when she knew that she wasn't making me feel any better. We were about ten steps away from that black thing, what ever it was. "So you just have to take it out. There are two clutchers on each star picket, so you just twist the top and pop, it comes out." she demontrated.

We started at each ends of the fence, her near the black thing. These little suckers are hard to pull out. I had done two, one pole, when she had finished six. I ended up doing a total of five.

"So why are we doing this?" i asked her when we were done, her rolling up the orange electric tape and shoving it aside, so the whole fence was bared.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Look at that."

She gestured to the black thing. My eyebrows furrowed as i went to investigate. The closer i got to it, the more i was confused i was. When i finally figured out what it was, i was even more confused.

"Its a cow." i stated.

She smiled sadly, coming to stand next to me. She placed her hands on her hips, and i was silently pleased. She wasn't angry with me anymore, i realised, she just doubted i was fit out for this stuff. I would show her...

"Yes, it is." she said. "She got into the hay shed and ate too much. Poor thing got bloat. My parents were spending all yesterday trying to help her, but she died this morning."

I instantly stepped back from the animal. I was about to touch it...

"It's dead?!"

She nodded. "I told you. A digger is coming to dig her a grave. Honestly, we don't want her too rot, she'd stink. And there is no way we could dig a hole big enough to fit a four hundred kilo cow. Let alone push her in the hole. So we're getting the digger to do that."

I blinked at her in shock. The animal looked alive, but of course, the more i studied it, i realised it wasn't breathing.

In the other paddock, i heard the small cow moo.

She smiled sadly again. "And that was her son. Poor baby, he wouldn't leave her body until we forced it. Now he just sits by the gate crying to her."

I looked at her in shock. How could she be so came about this? There was a dead cow here, and the sad tale of her son....I couldn't stomach it.

"And your fine with that?" i asked. "You can just shove her in a hole without another thought?"

She shrugged. "what do you want me to do? I can only do my best for her son now. We cant bring her back."

I looked at her sadly and sighed.

She looked to the ground and sighed too. This was the moment i knew she wasn't heartless.

"I deal with this everyday, Edward. Things die. It's life. If you're not up to that, then we can walk away and let them do their thing. I'm not going to force you too watch them dig a gave and put her in it. I'm not a bitch."

I looked to her to see if she was just pushing my buttons, but she looked sinceir.

I sighed. "That's horrible." i told her as i started to walk away, catching one last glimpse of the cow before she disappeared out of sight.

At the gate we were greeted with the goats.

She laughed as we pushed our way through the gate, trying to dodge the cow, like she said, that was standing by the gate.

"This is Sis and Bub. Don't blame me for the names, they just stuck after Mum suggested them." she pointed to the goats.

I laughed and patted them ."they're pushy." i noted.

She nodded. The goats wore pink collars around their necks.

She walked into the shed and pulled out three buckets. She handed me one.

"That's for the chickens." she told me and told me to spread it on the floor.

I handed her back the bucket and we went over to a shed. Hay was laid everywhere.

The goats immediately went to stand in seperate corners of the shed, next to leashes.

"Go strap them up." she instructed me.

I looked at her questionably and she laughed.

"Attach the leash to the collar."

I did as she instructed, and the baby goat Bub was fine, but the other scooted away from me.

Bella sighed, smiling and grabbed the goat by its horns and pulled it in place where i attached the leash.

"That's kind of cruel."

She laughed.

"Sometimes you need to be for animals to respect you." she said, and i knew she was right. Every animal here hated me, but loved her. They knew she was the boss, but she was more like the mother.

And i could see why everyone liked Bella around here, and not just animals.


	3. Chapter 3

BELLA POV

I was not going soft. No way was i admitting that. Okay, so Edward wasn't as big of a jerk as i thought he was. Actually, i saw something in him (not admitting it). I would have made him watch the cow being picked up by the digger and put in the hole. Heck, i would have loved to see the cow get cut up into peices by the digger tool in front of him, but that morning, he had been nothing but nice to me. Well, he asked a lot of questions, i hoped he was trying.

I sung Jackson to bed again, this time in his room, and i knew that Edward was lingering outside the door. I honestly didn't mind. He had already heard me. He had actually given me a compliment. I was fine with him being here now.

But he wasn't my friend.

We climbed down the stairs to the deck the next afternoon, almost dark, and threw a pair of boots at him. He looked at me confused, and i laughed.

"Put them on." i laughed instructed at him, and he did. They were the perfect size.

Running behind the back of my house is a creek bed. It leads all the way to the Huon River, or thats what i thought. We were about fifteen minutes from our hometown, Huonville. It is a pretty boganish town, but the country side around here is amazing.

I climbed down onto one of the rocks that was surrounded by water and sat down.

"I want to show you something." i told him. "It's a pretty personal place. You can't tell anyone. I already showed Alice." that was a lie, but when i told Alice that i was taking him here, she offered to say that she had been there, on the account that she would get to go there before she left. I agreed.

He clapped his hands together. "How do we get there?"

I smiled and stood up, climbing over to another rock. "We walk." i smiled and offered him to go up ahead so i wouldn't loose him.

"Don't you have, like, horses to do this for you?" he asked as he stumbled over yet another rock.

I laughed. "Have you seen any horses on our block? No. We walk."

We made it there slower than i would have, but that was fine.

It was about half a kilometre up the creek, harder than it seems since you have to worry about not breaking your neck at every step.

We pushed through the last stretch of creek, i offered him to go before me, since i had gone faster than him. It was almost dark now, about eight pm. It didn't get pitch black until about nine thirty. Enough to get out of the creek and walk up the road and back home.

"Wow."

We were at this hole in the creek, perfect for swimming. It was beautiful at night, since the full moon hung over our heads without trees. The water's temperature was nothing new to our skin, since we were pretty much swimming in it in our boots. I sat on one of the near by rocks and looked at him, smiling at his reaction.

"This is amazing." he said, turning back to me.

I smiled. "You're welcome." i said cheerily, laughing as i moved up onto the bank. He followed me and we emptied out our boots.

He couldn't stop looking at the creek while we sat side by side. Sometimes we would see fish flicker in the water, and he would point it out in amazement, and sometimes he would look at me, like a thankyou. That was good enough for me.

"I can't believe i'm actually here." he told me suddenly. "Australia isn't what i thought it was."

I looked at him, and he was starring at me. If it was anyone else, i would have been offended. "What'd you think it was?" i whispered.

He took a deep breath, then laughed. "Red sand, people...living in among the trees. Eating grubs..." he laughed breathlessly. "Its pretty stupid."

I shook my head. "There are some places." i told him, and i knew he knew what i meant. There were some places that did that, just not Tasmania.

Our heads moved closer together, until my forehead was touching his. Our breathing was in time, both of us breathing in and out at the same time. We moved slowly, tilting our heads until...

"BELLA!" someone screamed, us jerking apart as if we didn't know what we were doing.

Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper walked through behind us from the road. I looked down at my hands.

"And of course, my best friends no where it is." i told him.

I looked back at them. "Hey guys."

Emmett grinned and sat next to Edward, Rosalie, his girlfriend, sitting beside him.

"Hey! You're that British dude!" he said with that grin growing bigger. "Hey i heard of you. The name's Emmett. This is my girlfriend, Rosalie, and that's my best mate, Jasper." he told him.

Edward, always polite, shook hands with everyone.

I was still running through my head what had almost happened between me and him. We had almost kissed, that was for sure. I was angry at my best friends, why? I didn't like him....did i?

In sudden realisation, i shuddered. God, i hadn't liked someone since third grade. And he was the biggest jerk a gal could get around here. Jack. I still growled at his name.

"So, what are we interrupting?" Emmett asked us.

We refused to look at each other, Edward and I.

"Nothing." i said curtly. "I was just showing him this place."

Jasper and Rosalie rolled their eyes. "Really? At quarter to nine?"

"We were just about to head back." i told them, standing up and stretching.

Edward followed me as we said goodbye to them.

"Aren't we going to walk down the creek?" he asked.

I laughed. "You can if you want too. I, personally, think its too dark. So i'm gonna take the road."

He stopped and looked at me. "Road?"

I laughed, taking his hand and pulling him up to the road. I let go of his hand, so that jolt of warmth didn't go through me whole body.

I looked sheepish. "Sorry. Its more fun to go up the creek."

He rolled his eyes and we made it up to the main road, going down it until we were at the front of my house.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me there was another option." he said.

I laughed. "Oh, where's the fun in that."

There was a scream from inside the house, coming from Alice. We looked at each other before we ran to her asstistance. I was first, sicne we both knew i would be better at solving this than he would.

Alice was standing on the staircase, half way down, looking at the wall that went along the stairs. She didn't want to go past it for some reason, so i ran up to her, scoffing at her when i saw what it was.

I looked at the wall, and there was a lizard sticking to it.

"Oh, C'mon." i laughed, tkaing the lizard in my hands, which bit me hard, but didn't hurt a lot.

I shook my head on the way back down and chucked the lizard outside.

"Ew." Alice said, coming down the stairs. "I was thinking that thing was going to eat me."

When i was at her side again, i held up my hand. Blood was trickling down my arm. He had bitten me more than once, and it was fairly big.

"Don't touch anything, meaning animals, up here." i told her, looking at her shocked face as i went to wash the blood off in the sink.

"Are you okay?" Edward's velvety voice came from behind me.

I wiped my arms off with paper towel and threw that in the bin.

"Never been better. Better me, who's used to it, than her, who's probably never even cut her knee."

"I have so." Alice scoffed.

I raised my eyebrows, looking around Edward, who moved out of my way, too look at her. "When, where and what."

"Last week at a bar on a peice of glass." she said proudly, lifting up her short's leg to show a almost healed scar. I guess it was a scratch.

I smiled at her anyway. "Good for you." i laughed.

She rolled her eyes and laughed.

Alice wished us a good night sleep and we stood there, awkwardly, in the kitchen.

"I guess we better go to sleep." i said slowly, looking at him, and walked past him.

He grabbed my arm, spinning me around, and crushed his lips to mine. My arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer too me.

I would sleep well tonight.

**Yay! They're together! Woohoo!**

**Lol. Review! **

**N......now. N...ow. NOW!**

**XD**

**Lauren**


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